Juniper

[wyogoob]

Let me first thank everyone at Bradley Smoker for all the great posts provided herein. I only get on this site intermittedly; my brain only has a certain amount of room to store new information.

I live in southwestern Wyoming, the greatest place on the planet.  ;D  We have juniper forests here. They harbor all kinds of animals from lizards and rattlesnakes, to elk and moose. They were where the Indians liked to live, set up camp if I may. Juniper country held food most of the year, and were the warmest place in the winter due to their affinity to south and east-facing slopes. The trees provided shelter and fuel for cooking and heating. The berries of the Utah Juniper, Juniperus osteosperma, had both culinary and medicinal uses for the natives. Today's scientists have proven it's anti-oxidant qualities. See: http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Juniperus+osteosperma

A southwestern Wyoming juniper forest on a frosty December morning:


I use the berries sometimes as a spice for curing meat and making sausages. (Please note that not all juniper trees have edible berries and it is wise to check first.) Every hunting season I pick a zip lock bag full and dry them for future use usually mixing them with some store-bought ones:


I noticed in the Westphalia Ham post, juniper wood is used for smoking. I wasn't aware of that. Interesting, many times we have used it for cooking at hunting and fishing camps. Often we bake a fresh Kokanee Salmon over juniper wood, the only wood available perhaps. It renders a flavor similar to cedar.





Ah....how boring was that?  Happy New Year's

Goober


   

[Gizmo]

Actually quite interesting and the landscape is awesome.

[Paddlinpaul]

As juniper is the main flavoring of Gin, I'm sure anything containing juniper would taste good to me :)
The countryside there does look beautiful.

[squirtthecat]

You need to cut some of that stuff up, so we can dry some juniper sawdust in our Bradleys...

[seemore]

Goob, that was quite interesting.
Other than knowing that the juniper berry was used in gin and cooking, I little else about it.
And you are right: Southwest Wyoming is one of the most beautiful places on the planet!
Mrs S

[wyogoob]

You need to cut some of that stuff up, so we can dry some juniper sawdust in our Bradleys...

I might just do that and cure something that takes smoke readily, like chicken breasts or trout.

[Tenpoint5]

Kind of nice to see a post like this every now and then.

[wyogoob]

Kind of nice to see a post like this every now and then.

Thanks Tenpoint5.

Juniper berries impart a nice flavor to cures used for hams and fish, even pickled tongue. One of the reasons it's not too popular is it is not normally found on grocery store shelves. I'm lucky to have a ready supply close by. Just look at the berries on these junipers:

[Tenpoint5]

Ok Now your just being mean!!!

[KevinG]

That's where my pet Elk got off to. Get a rope and send him back to me would ya.  ;D

[ArnieM]

Great looking countryside Goober.  Thanks for the post. 

I have some cedar trees.  They have blue colored berries (seeds) on them.  I don't know what they are but the birds sure like 'em.  I think I'll pass on 'em.  ;D

[Quarlow]

That's where my pet Elk got off to. Get a rope and send him back to me would ya.  ;D

No no that one is mine, you can tell by the way he stands with his head to the side like that. You can just send him to me and to make it real easy just cut and wrap him and then he won't be a problem when ups delivers him. After all I wouldn't want him to run off again before I can get him in the freezer.  ;D ;D ;D

[Quarlow]

Oh yeah and can you through in a couple of bags of those berries while your at it. Thanks.

[KevinG]

Now how could you do that to your beloved pet.

[Quarlow]

Hey I am just trying to make it easier on goober like a true friend would do. You wouldn't make him try to ship that whole li ;Dve animal would you. Do you understand what you are asking him to do. Not to mention the trauma you would be putting the pet threw. I think I would have to report you to PETA for that. Now you see how much I love my pets not to put them threw all that.